In a report about Mark Jackson demoting assistant coach Brian Scalabrine (apparently for arguing with another assistant coach who has deeper, longer ties with Jackson) Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports reported that last summer Jackson had kicked the tires on other coaching jobs in Brooklyn and with the Los Angeles Clippers. Neither of those went very far, but it was used as evidence of the dysfunction and distrust within the Warriors organization, as was the fact former coach Mike Malone and Jackson didn’t speak for weeks at a time.

“I’m not going to comment on everything,” Jackson said. “First of all, Mike Malone commented and said that his part was a lie. So there you have that. Second of all, it’s poor reporting by Wojnarowski if you decided and knew this to hold on to it until (Tuesday). That’s blockbuster stuff.

“So, not true. None of it was true. I’m not going to go any further. This is my job and I’m thrilled to death to be the head coach of the Golden State Warriors.”

First off, what do you expect him to say? Whether this is true or not it is the only thing both Jackson and Malone can say publicly.

Next, remember that there are layers to how these things work. For example, Jackson himself very well may not have had any contact with Brooklyn or Los Angeles but his agent could have tested the waters, or there are other back channel ways to express interest in something without a formal conversation. Same with Mark Malone — coaches can have quick, work-related conversations while having a very frosty personal relationship, just as you can at your office with the loudmouth three cubicles down.

The reports of tension in Golden State’s organization heard all around the league, something that starts with a very hands-on ownership group in the basketball side (that’s not always a good thing) and continues down all the way to the locker room. What that means for Jackson and his future in Golden State is up for debate — and what they do in the playoffs will be big factor. An ugly first round exit and a tough second round exit will feel very different when evaluating how or if this team progressed this year.

If you believe that Jackson is a stand up guy, then this is “not true.” Flat out. But I believe things tend to be more nuanced than that.

The NBA, like the NFL, is first and foremost a business seeking profit. When confronted with social issues, from Donald Sterling to “I can’t breathe” shirts, the NBA has always kept an eye on its wallet.

With the threat of anthem protests looming, the NBA proactively met with players to head off any kneeling. That was business strategy, nothing grander.

The NFL is just trying to get to the same point with a similar policy.

But the NFL already alienated its players through the heavy-handed implementation of this policy and years of other issues. The NBA has established greater trust from its players, both by finessing them in talks about societal issues and actually standing behind them, like the Bucks did with Sterling Brown.

There are plenty of opportunities to criticize the NFL relative to the NBA. The leagues’ national-anthem policies are not a good one.

And spare me the idea that leaders trying to divide us from on high is What’s Wrong With Our Country. Centuries of racism have already divided us.

Some leaders, like Donald Trump, exploit those divisions. Other leaders talk fancifully of unity without actually reconciling what caused the divisions.

The 76ers center made just the All-NBA second team, landing behind the Pelicans’ Anthony Davis. Davis surged after Cousins went down, earning overall credit from All-NBA voters, who were also increasingly likely to view him as a center rather than just a forward.

As a result, Davis made the All-NBA first team at center – costing Embiid about $29 million over the next five years.

Embiid’s contract extension, which kicks in next season, calls for his starting salary to be 25% of the salary cap (the typical max for a player with his experience level). If he made the All-NBA first team, his starting salary would have been 30% of the salary cap .

Though the exact cap won’t be determined until July, here’s what Embiid is projected to earn on his standard max and what he could’ve earned on the super max (with 8% raises in both cases):

Obviously Embiid will still earn a lot of money, and he and Philadelphia have a bright future.

But it’s hard not to think, if Cousins didn’t get hurt, Embiid would be even richer.

HOUSTON (AP)– The Houston Rockets will wear patches on their jerseys to honor the victims of the school shooting in Santa Fe, Texas, on Thursday night in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals against the Golden State Warriors.

The patches will read: “Santa Fe HS.” It’s one of several tributes the team plans following Friday’s shooting. Eight students and two teachers died at the school, located 30 miles from downtown Houston.

The school’s high school choir will perform the national anthem. There will be a moment of silence and a video tribute before tipoff.

Santa Fe’s senior class and administrators have been invited to attend the game as guests of owner Tilman Fertitta. The Rockets also will honor first responders on the court.